Cider Chat

Hear what the ACA and the USA's regional associations are doing to help members while their businesses are shuttered during quarantine. Cider Chat Live: Helping Cider in Covid Time w/ACA Recorded March 19, 2020 with American Cider Association (ACA) Executive Director Michelle McGrath. "If the airline industry is getting excise tax relief, then the beverage alcohol industry should also get relief." Goals to Help Members:  Expanded Unemployment insurance Suspension of Payroll Taxes Federal Excise Tax Relief no and low interest loan growth in the funding of the above programs Industry Stabilization Funds cash infusions Maintaining an open commercial border Suspension of beverage tariffs and their suppliers Up to the end of April, the ACA  encourages association members who were forced to layoff staff, to Michelle to have their former employees sign up for a free level 1 Certified Cider Professional exam so they can add to their resume during this down time. Link here to the American Cider Association's   Covid Resources For Cideries New York Cider AssociationNews: 9am - Wednesday  March 25, 2020 The NYCA Town Hall to address issues surrounding the Covid-19 epidemic  New York Cider Association elected new Executive Director is Scott Ramsey. He will be holding a Digital Town Hall meeting with New York Cider Association Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving!

Join the Talking Pommes and I, as we "Flip the bird" to the Coronavirus! Yes, "feck off" to the virus by signing up now for the upcoming England Cider Tour September 1-6, 2020.  215: Andy Hallett of Hallet Cider | UK Andy Hallett says he choose to become a cidermaker, once he retired from a career as a Mechanical Engineer. As he puts it, it was a choice of creating a lifestyle that he wanted to live, but that would be denying all the roads that led him to cidermaking. Andy Hallett For the most part, his story would be familiar to all who have spent their early drinking years learning to ferment beer, wine and cider. Like so many, Andy began making both beer and cider at 17 with his brother Pete. In college he tried his hand at homemade wines. It was only a matter of time before he entered his cider into a competition and won a bronze medal in a National Competition. That award provided the encouragement to go commercial. The cider brand at the time was named after the farm, Blaengawney Farm, which is Welsh. For non native speakers of this Celtic language “Blaengawney Farm” is a bit difficult to pronounce, which can have an impact on sales. In 2010 it was time to rebranded the cider name from Blaengawney Farm. Andy's last name is “Hallett” with a double t.  But the design team didn’t like the look of the double ll and double tt. Despite a bit of grumbling from the family including Andy’s father, he forged ahead and changed the cider brand to Hallet, because as he puts it, “It looked perfect on the label.” Hallet Cider is shipped to Ontario Canada and as far at Japan, so basically around the world. They make 80,000 liters/year. You can order Hallet Cider online at their website. Tell them Cider Chat sent you. Contact for Hallet Cider Website: https://halletsrealcider.co.uk/ Located at Blaengawney Farm, Mynydd Maen, Hafodyrynys,Crumlin, Caerphilly, Wales NP11 5AY Telephone: 01495 244691 eMail: info@halletsrealcider.co.uk Mentions in this Chat September 1-6, 20202 - England Cider Tour - Hereford and Somerset Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

Cider as Art + Science w/Kim & Dan Kim says, "We consider ourselves a natural cider, Perry and wine company. Our products start with the farming; sourcing quality fruit that is ecologically farmed is important to us. We keep our processing techniques minimal to reflect our farming practices and our respect for terroir. "  We begin this chat with Dan’s explanation of Natural Cider “Nothing add, nothing taken away” We then go full in on discussing their Quince Cider, which is 100% quince. Art + Science forage all their quince from many trees that are over 100 years old. This trees are so large that Kim can’t wrap her arms around the trunk! Art + Science uses a Zambelli Mulimix electric apple crusher for their cider and to make the quince cider. Initially, they were keeving the Quince, using a concrete fermenter. The concrete provided the calcium and then they added salt. The concrete is an eco barrel and now is no longer used because the concrete tends to get very microbial. “The quince likely cause the problem due to the high PH”, says Dan. Now for the Quince, they are using a regular barrel and no longer keeve the Quince because Dan doesn’t feel the keeving was leaving any sweetness. Art + Science Quince Tips The quince juice is very clear The yields of juice is about the same as apple. It is sweet and palatable to drink right away. Super aromatic, but the palate doesn’t match the aromatics Tends to be savory, which lends to a bit of a herbal and almost vegetable components Kim recommends stinky blue cheese with Art + Science’s Quince Served chilled like a white wine chill The alcohol by volume of Art + Science Quince is 7.0% Art + Science Perry After discussing the Quince Cider we moved onto their Perry. Dan and Kim both provide great tips on dealing with this persnickety Pomme and its propensity to go acetic and how they manage that with sulfur. For their Perry - they use a blend of pears 3 Art + Science Perrys 1. Humble Perry: Dessert pear, buying Pear from a biodynamic orchard 2. Pilfered Perry: Foraged pears: classic pears mixd with foraged dessert pears 3. Bird Brain Perry 100-200 year old pear trees Very tannic - true Perry pears How does Art + Science stabilize their cider in the bottle? Bottle Pet Nat style - allowing the cider to finish fermentation in the boatel Bottle Types used for Art + Science Flip top bottles. Contact info for Art + Science Website: https://www.artandsciencenw.com/ Purchase Art + Science online: https://www.artandsciencenw.com/purchase-products/ Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube  

Who is the Sleeping Giant? France, of course! The cider regions in Normandy and Brittany are steeped in tradition and rich with select apples and pears that showcase a very specific terroir from each of the appellations.  While the rest of the world's cider regions have been ramping up their world stage visibility, the French have been continuing on doing what they do (making great cider) with minimal social media or online presence. Perhaps the French producers and cidermakers were waiting for the rest of the world to catch up or maybe the symmetry of a number like 2020 is more fitting for them to present their wares on the international stage....it is likely the latter as the French are all about pleasing proportions much like their cider, poire and Calvados. I began visiting Normandy in 2016 and found out that not only did the French not engage with online banter, but also that they do not have cider fests (where an assortment of producers pour their product to the public during a one day festival). The Story of Cidrexpo coming into being as told to me by Ètienne Dupont. Jérôme Dupont of Domaine Dupont in Pays d'Auge was one of the rare cidermakers who did travel the world teaching others about Calvados and produced innovative ciders that swayed away from the well known farmhouse ciders of Normandy. It was Jérôme who had the vision for what would become Cidrexpo today, but sadly he left this earthly plain in August of 2018. In September of 2018, I visit Domaine Dupont with a group of cider travelers on my Totally Cider Tour to France. We were originally going to meet Jérôme, but alas he had unexpectedly passed away. When that news broke, I wrote a sympathy card to his father Ètienne. That simple card inspired him to then meet the group and myself almost a month later after Jèrome passed and do the tour with our group. After the tour about the Domaine, we all raised a glass in the tasting room of Domaine Dupont and I made a toast to Jérôme. What I conveyed in the note and to his father and the group during the toast is that Jérôme's words and his legacy would not be forgotten. His reach was so broad and his mark so wide that his greatness had all ready left an undeniable mark on the world of cider. Unexpectedly, his father then announced while we were in the Tasting Room that Cidrexpo would still take place. Not only was he moving forward with the expo, but it was because of me! I didn't quite believe what I had just heard, but with the group as my witness I found out it was exactly what this grieving father was inspired to do. It was as if our visit and that simple card was enough to help him see out of the blur of sadness at his son's death and that he would move forward with Jérôme vision of Cidrexpo. I was able to attend Cidrexpo on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of February 2020, as Ètienne's guest at he and his wife Catherine's home in Caen where the festival took place. It was in Caen on my first night while out for dinner with he and his wife that I told him of how I saw France as The Sleeping Giant that just has Awoken onto the world stage with Cidrexpo. My fondest memory of that 3-day fest is seeing him smile deeply each time I mentioned the Sleeping Giant. There is no denying that with this first very successful event that the Giant is awake and Cidrexpo will become an annual event. On this episode, I spoke about Cidrexpo and also share a recording with Raitis Zalāns of the Latvian cidery Mūrbūdu sidrs from Cidrexpo.  Raitis Zalāns    

The Northeastern Cider Conference will take place March 24, 25, 26, 2020 in Albany, NY. Register now - Get group discount for Hotel now through February Tuesday March 24th begins with a kick off with a opening toast and reception with a cider share. Wednesday - Thursday - 4 different  Cider Tracks Growing Fermenting Midstream  distribution, packaging Downstream - retail market, education, tasting room optimization selling regionalism Website links: Conference info: https://www.newyorkciderassociation.com/event-calendar Eventbrite tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/northeastern-cider-conference-tickets-76112493517 Follow the Northeaster Cider Conference  IG: @NewYorkCider FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/2459330607655048/ Hashtags: ​#NCC2020 #NortheastCider2020 Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

Enjoy these Snapshots of Tales from CiderCon2020 which details a bit of what I experienced both before the conference, while on the Parajo Valley Cider Tour and then my recap on CiderCon held in Oakland. Thank you to Santa Cruz Cider Company for donating fresh pressed Newtown Pippin juice for the bus full of people on the Parajo Valley Cider Tour and Soquel Cider for donating bottles of the most delicious Laura’s Orchard. These two ciders were opened before 9am as we rolled down the highway to our first stop of the day - Serventi Ranch Cider. Serventi Ranch Cider Tasting Room The next stop was at Five Mile Orchard with Jake Mann and Eric Rider of Rider Ranch Cider who served up his Newtown Pippin ciders from Five Mile Orchard. Jake Mann and Eric Rider greeting the cider tour bus like two farmers For lunch and orchard walks we headed to Aptos where Tanuki and Santa Cruz Cider Company. Lunch was a buffet of Thai. This photo was taken in front of the 80 year old Sequoia tree next to the Apple Barn. From Aptos it was onward to our last stop of the day at Cider Junction, where Hemly’s Cider was also present. Publicans Tracy and Claudia provided a great presentation on the workings of running a successful cider bar, while filling our bellies with cheese and charcuterie. A great time was had by all! I also provide a recap of my time at CiderCon2020 once the conference got rolling. Mentions in this chat * UK Cider Tour September 1-6, 2020 send me an email now to get your name on the list for this upcoming tour Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

Daniel Emerson discusses his Irish cider brand Stonewell Cider and Cider Ireland, a trade association for Irish cider makers. The American Cider Association annual trade conference CiderCon2020 had the following Irish Makers as guest. Stonewell Cider Stonewell Cider Daniel Emerson, Founder, Stonewell   Cockagee Cider Mark Jenkinson, The Cider Mill   Legacy Cider Liam McDonnell of Legacy Cider   Tempted Cider Davy Uprichard -Tempted Cider Contact info for Cider Ireland Website: https://ciderireland.com/ Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

The 10th Annual American Cider Association trade conference CiderCon will be held in Oakland California, January 28th through to January 31, 2020. This episode provides an overview on the following topics: Oakland weather in winter & What to wear How to get to CiderCon via public transportation and using BART to get around Oakland and San Francisco Where to find morning coffee and bagels Madison Park’s morning Tai Chi session in Oakland The Bay Area Cider Week Oakland graffiti on the Marriott Hotel where CiderCon will take place Oakland Marriott City Center where CiderCon is held 1 block from the 12 Street/City Center BART stop. 7 blocks (0.4 miles) to Crooked City Cider Tap House. 9 blocks (0.6 miles) to Jack London Square. Oakland Weather in late January Low 60s Fahrenheit, 15 Celsius Dress in layers and always bring a cap to wear as it usually drops down to the 40s in the evening. Transportation options BART or Ferry Service Via BART - aka the metro line Oakland Airport to CiderCon is 30 minutes - $2.60 one way San Francisco Airport to CiderCon - expect an hour ride - $2.60 one way Use Bart to San Francisco and to Redfield Cider Bar get off at the Rockridge stop. Redfield is a 500 foot walk from the Rockridge stop. Crooked City Cider And Taphouse is an 11 minute walk and there will be evening events through the week Jack London Square archway, within view of Crooked City Cider. Go here to board the San Francisco Bay Ferry Take a ride on the San Francisco Bay Ferry from Oakland to the SF historical Ferry Building The commuter ferry leaves form jack London Square, which is about a 12 minute walk from CiderCon. $7.20 one way $5.40 with Clipper Card - but you need to keep a balance of $5.40 on your card. Clipper Card https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/getTranslink.do Order online: https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperCard/order.jsf Buy in-person: Need a card right away? Get an adult card in person at: Many Walgreens, and Whole Foods Market stores and other participating retail locations Transit agency ticket offices and Clipper Customer Service Centers Muni Metro and Golden Gate Ferry ticket machines and SMART fare machines (minimum value required) There is a ticket machine at the Coliseum station, and at 12th St / City Center station. There is a Walgreens at the 12th St / City Center station. [ Looking back at San Francisco via the SF Bay Ferry. Morning Coffee and Bagels 5 min walk from the Marriott/CiderCon location to Awaken Cafe which opens at 7:30am to 3pm 10 min walk to Beauty Bagels Shop - opens at 8am - 3pm 16 min walk to Farleys Coffee Monday - Friday 7am-8pm, Saturday- Sunday 8am-8pm Clear you cider palate with some bitters via craft beer Along the way, 1/2 block off Broadway is The Trappist (Belgian & specialty beer cafe), Beer Revolution (bottle shop and tap house), Federation Brewing (brewery). Chat with Michelle McGrath, the Executive Director of the American Cider Association Michelle provides an overview of key speakers at CiderCon Get the Conference App - Attendify This app provides contact info for speakers, sponsors, and fellow attendees Check your reservation to CiderCon to get the code for the Attendify CiderCon program Check out cider events happening all week long during CiderCon Bay Area Cider Week begins January 25 and run through to February 1, 2020 Bonus Sightseeing Tip: If you have a car, take a drive to Almeida about 15 minutes from the Marriott and visit the USS Hornet. This is a fantastic place to catch the sunset with San Francisco in the background. The big battleships are quiet and you will find yourself right on the water with barely a person around. USS Hornet museum in Almeida, California. San Francisco can be seen in the distance. This is a powerful spot to catch the sunset, but you will need a car to get to this little know battleship area. It is super cool and puts you right on the bay with spectacular views. Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

The tables are set with 6 stemmed glasses per person, each holding a tasting of Calvados or American Apple Brandy. There are over 60 settings. It is a sold out night. At 6:30 pm, the house lights are lowered and it is ready-set-go! On this 1st of November we are here to taste brandy and find out the difference between Calvados and Apple Brandy, and believe me there is a very wide difference between these two spirits. The event is is the kick off to the 25th Annual Franklin County CiderDays. I have asked Ambrosia Borowski to present, because like me we both love Calvados and have traveled to France to taste this spirit where it is born. Ambrosia Borowski and Ria Windcaller This episode will follows my typical script of having an intro and an end. You also have the option to view the presentation at the Cider Chat YouTube Channel and see the slide show presentation too. Here are the main topics discussed. How to Taste Calvados Look Smell Taste Imagine How to taste Calvados History Brandy Calvados American Regions Normandy Climate American Major Regions Regulations Norman AOC American Brandy Laws Apple Jack Brandy vs eau de vie Distillation Alembic Still Hybrid Still Maturation Barrel Types Climate Blending Order of Products Tasted Uncle John's Apple Brandy, Michigan Rhine Hall - Apple Brandy - Louisville, Kentucky Copper & King Apple Brandy Sang-Froid single variety Grimes Golden, Maryland - this is a bonus Brandy that was brought to the Tasting by the producer Calvados Claque-Pepin Fine Calvados  Coquerel  Calvados Chauffe Coeur VSOP Slide 1: Calvados and Brandy producers All these products can be found in the US. Ask your local liquor store to for these and other fine Calvados spirits. Click on link below to view the Slide Show Presentation used at this Tasting Calvados & Apple Brandy Tasting Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

Redfield Cider Bar and Bottle Shop is located in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland California. Owners Olivia Maki and Mike Reis opened the doors to patrons in January of 2019.  Olivia Maki and Mike Reis of Redfield Cider Bar What to expect at Redfield A one room venue with an abundant supply of both national and international cider bottles to grab and go 16 taps 11 usually of cider, with 5 taps of beer Cider by the glass Cider Flights Cider to go - the store has a wide selection of both foreign and domestic ciders [caption id="attachment_4816" align="aligncenter" width="169"] Front of Redfield Cider Bar and Bottle Shop Getting to Redfield Via the BART system (metro) - get off at the - Rockridge stop in Oakland The store is a 500 foot walk from the Rockridge stop From San Francisco via BART it is approximately 30 minutes From Oakland airport to Redfield - when the traffic light 20-25 minutes via the Bart 30 minutes. Contact Redfield Cider Bar and Bottle Shop Website: https://www.redfieldcider.com/ Address: 5815 College Ave. Oakland, CA 94618 eMail: info@redfieldcider.com Telephone: 510-250-9058 Mentions in this chat February 9, 2020 New York International Cider Competition January 28-31th - CiderCon 2020 Oakland California Interested in a UK Cider Tour with Ria, the host of Cider Chat in 2020? Send me an email to get you name on the list mailto:ria@ciderchat.com Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube